Grêmio
Nottingham Forest and Brentford are now firmly in the picture for Gabriel Mec, with the Grêmio teenager’s situation accelerating as the Brazilian club prepare for a likely sale.
The 17-year-old has recently started to gain more consistent minutes at senior level. Just recently he featured against Juventude, in the state championship, and then earned a league start against Atlético Mineiro.
He is yet to register a goal or an assist this year, but he is considered a ‘game-changing player’ due to his tenacity and directness on the pitch. That will have caught Nottingham Forest and Brentford attention.
Of course his performances have fluctuated, which is expected at this stage of development. Still, the increased exposure has strengthened his profile ahead of a crucial few months.
Grêmio’s plan has been clear. They want to build Mec’s value through first-team involvement before making a major sale. That process now appears to be reaching a decisive phase.
Previous interest sets the baseline
Earlier in the season, Grêmio accepted an offer from Shakhtar Donetsk worth around €15m (£12.9m). The structure included €13m (£11.2m) fixed and €2m (£1.7m) in bonuses.
The move collapsed after Gabriel Mec chose not to proceed. At the time, he prioritised his development in Brazil and felt the timing was not right to move to Ukraine.
Then Chelsea entered the picture. As the player himself revealed, Blues’ scouts travelled to watch him a few times, but nothing concrete happened.
Liverpool have also tracked the player closely and were expected to submit a bid in a similar range. Internally, the Premier League club even compared aspects of his game to Vinícius Júnior, particularly his pace and direct attacking style.
However, the situation has now moved beyond isolated interest. The €15m (£12.9m) figure is no longer just a reference point – it is a starting line.
England and Portugal join the race
Gabriel Mec’s representatives have recently travelled to Europe, with Lisbon emerging as a key hub for discussions.
Meetings have already taken place with Benfica. A further round of talks is scheduled with Sporting. Porto are also part of the picture, expanding the Portuguese competition for his signature.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest and Brentford have emerged with enquiries from England. Both Premier League clubs are now monitoring the situation more closely as the summer window approaches.
This broadens the race significantly. What once looked like a smaller group of interested clubs is now a multi-market competition involving England and Portugal.
Grêmio stance and summer expectation
Gabriel Mec is now considered Grêmio’s priority sale.
The Brazilian club are dealing with financial pressures and need to generate funds. Selling players is part of that strategy, and Mec is seen as the most valuable and marketable asset in the squad.
Importantly, Grêmio are not looking to offload him cheaply. However, they are open to negotiations if a strong offer arrives. The expectation internally is that a deal will happen in the middle of the year.
That timing aligns with Mec turning 18 in April, which removes barriers for a move to Europe.
For Nottingham Forest and Brentford, this creates a clear opportunity. The player is gaining exposure, the selling club is prepared to negotiate, and the market is heating up.
The coming months are likely to define where Mec’s next step will be. England is now very much part of that conversation.
EXCLUSIVE: Mathías Olivera
🚨 Nottingham Forest still trying for Napoli player
➡️ Changes at #NFFC haven’t impacted interest
🔼 Premier League stay key to successful transferhttps://t.co/f51ZV1MFiv #SSCNapoli
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) March 27, 2026